Satara Shoppers: 2020

Thursday, December 31, 2020

10 smartphones we're most excited for in 2021

With any luck, 2021 will be a whole lot better than 2020 was, but at the very least there are loads of exciting smartphones to look forward to.

From high-profile handsets like the iPhone 13 to oddities like the LG Rollable, there should be something for everyone. Below, we’ve highlighted ten of the most interesting options that we’re expecting to see before the end of the year.

These are phones that in most cases are likely to be great, and at the very least should be interesting, unusual, or innovative.

Samsung Galaxy S21 range

The Samsung Galaxy S20 (Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy S21 and its likely siblings – the Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – are probably the most highly anticipated Android phones. There shouldn’t be long to wait for them either, as it’s rumored that the Samsung Galaxy S21 range could be announced as soon as January 14.

So what should you expect from the three phones? It almost goes without saying that they’ll have cutting-edge power, with rumors suggesting they’ll pack either the Snapdragon 888 chipset (in the US) or the Exynos 2100 (in most other places) – both of which are likely to be among the year’s most powerful.

The most exciting upgrade though might be support for the S Pen stylus on the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, a rumored move that could bring the phone a lot closer to the Galaxy Note range. We’re also hearing talk of high-spec cameras, with the S21 Ultra potentially offering 10x optical zoom.

iPhone 13 range

The iPhone 13 range is probably even more highly anticipated than the Samsung Galaxy S21 range, but there’s rather longer to wait for these phones, as they probably won’t land until September.

There could be some big upgrades for these new models, with high refresh rate screens, 1TB of storage, in-screen fingerprint scanners, and a smaller notch all rumored. There’s also talk of a periscope camera being added, which would allow for an increased optical zoom range.

With the phones being a long way off at the time of writing though, we’re not at all confident of these things yet. What you can be sure of is that they’ll be very powerful, and that Apple will probably offer the same assortment of handsets as in the iPhone 12 range – meaning an iPhone 13, an iPhone 13 mini, an iPhone 13 Pro, and an iPhone 13 Pro Max.

OnePlus 9 range

The OnePlus 8T (Image credit: TechRadar)

The OnePlus 9 range is likely to land in March or April and offer a slightly cheaper way to get the sort of cutting-edge tech we’re expecting to see in phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21.

There will probably be a OnePlus 9, a OnePlus 9 Pro, and possibly also a totally new model dubbed the OnePlus 9E.

As for what to expect, all three phones might use the top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, and they’ll probably also have high refresh rate screens, with the Pro model likely offering at least 120Hz.

We don’t know a huge amount else about them yet, but leaks suggest the standard OnePlus 9 will have a 48MP main camera, a 48MP ultra-wide one, and an unknown third lens, as well as 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, while the OnePlus 9 Pro will probably be the only one of the three to have IP68 certification for water and dust resistance.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 (Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 isn’t likely to be as mainstream as most of the phones on this list, but it could be more exciting than most of them, as foldable phones are probably the future, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is likely to be the best one yet.

Beyond having a big, foldable screen, the main Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 rumors so far suggest it might support Samsung’s S Pen stylus, have an in-screen camera, and possibly even have an RGB light strip on its hinge.

We haven’t heard much else at the time of writing, but expect more rumors to roll in ahead of release, which could be in June if leaks are to be believed - though some sources reckon it won't land until the second half of the year.

LG Rollable

The LG Rollable is very much a wild card, not least because we’re not at all sure it even exists. But there is some evidence that LG is developing a phone with a rollable screen, and that it might be out sometime in 2021.

Based on a patent, this might be a device that lets you extend the left and right screen edges, but because it rolls rather than folds, and because the mechanism is compactly hidden within the phone, it might look much like a normal smartphone when the screen isn’t extended. According to another leak it might extend from 6.8 inches to 7.4 inches.

A trademark application for the ‘LG Rollable’ name meanwhile includes mention of “electronic touch screen pens”, so as with the Galaxy Z Fold 3, you might be able to get a stylus for it.

The LG Rollable sounds ambitious and we haven’t heard much about it yet, so there’s every chance it won’t land in 2021, and if it does it will probably be very expensive, but it certainly sounds interesting. The only release date rumor for it so far states that it could land in the first half of the year.

Oppo Find X3 range

The Oppo Find X2 Pro (Image credit: Future)

Oppo isn’t as big a name as Samsung or OnePlus, but in recent years it’s been making phones that rival their best, and the Oppo Find X3 range could be the next ones to do that.

In fact, they might actually be more exciting and innovative than most of the big-name flagships, as rumors suggest the Oppo Find X3 Pro will have a macro camera that could function a bit like a microscope, with 25x zoom and lights around the lens.

The phone might additionally have NFC that works on both the front and back of the handset, so you can tap the screen against payment terminals rather than the rear – a small feature perhaps but one we’ve not really seen before.

Beyond that the specs sound top-end through and through, with talk of a 3K resolution, a high refresh rate screen, fast charging, loads of camera lenses, and more. And you shouldn’t have to wait long, as we’re expecting the Oppo Find X3 range to launch early in the year.

Nokia 10

The Nokia 9 PureView (Image credit: TechRadar)

We’ve been waiting for the Nokia 10 for a long time, so much so that it’s gone through a few names since it started being rumored – originally it was thought to be launching as the Nokia 9.1, but as time went on that changed to Nokia 9.2, 9.3, and now Nokia 10.

Whether 2021 will be the year it lands remains to be seen, especially since we still don’t really know much about it yet, but rumors point to an in-screen selfie camera, a sapphire glass display, a stainless steel frame, and a top-end Snapdragon 888 chipset, so this could be a very premium phone.

There’s also talk of it having a very different camera setup to the penta-lens Nokia 9 PureView, though in what ways it will differ is unclear.

iPhone SE 3

iPhone SE 2020 — The iPhone SE (2020) (Image credit: Future)

While the iPhone 13 range is clearly the most anticipated of Apple’s upcoming phones, the company might also launch a successor to the iPhone SE (2020) in 2021.

We’ve heard very little about the iPhone SE 3 so far and there’s every chance we won’t see it until a later year, but if it does launch in 2021 it will probably have an A14 Bionic chipset (the same as the iPhone 12 range).

There’s also talk of an iPhone SE Plus, which might end up being the iPhone SE 3 in all but name. This is thought to have a larger 5.5 or 6.1-inch screen, but to retain the general affordability of the iPhone SE range. What’s not clear is whether the iPhone SE 3 will keep the physical home button and big bezels – a design that’s becoming increasingly dated.

Samsung Galaxy Note 21 range

The Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

The biggest question about the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 range is whether it will even launch, with rumors swirling that Samsung is looking to add stylus support to the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold 3 so that it can discontinue the Note range.

At this point it looks likely that the Note range’s days are numbered, but we might still get a Samsung Galaxy Note 21.

There’s not really any news on what it will offer yet, but as usual for the range you can expect an S Pen stylus, a big screen to make the most of it with, and plenty of power. If the Samsung Galaxy Note 21 does launch we’ll probably see it in or around August.

Sony Xperia 1 III Compact

As well as the expected Sony Xperia 1 III there are rumors that the company might launch a Sony Xperia 1 III Compact, and it’s this phone that we’re more excited about, as there aren’t many high-end compact phones that days.

Rumors suggest it might have a 5.5-inch screen and an upper mid-range chipset – though we’d hope for a high-end one. We don’t know much else yet about either the Compact or the standard Sony Xperia 1 III, but with the phones possibly launching in the first half of the year we’ll hopefully learn more before long.

Many of these will likely make our best smartphones list

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The top-5 web series to wait for in 2021 over OTT platforms

The entertainment industry was amongst a few sectors that saw growth even during a pandemic-infested 2020. And in this segment, it was the OTT platform to which the audience flocked as they were struck indoors during the Covid-19 led lockdown.

Ever since the country went into lockdown, OTT platforms became the first choice for entertainment, a trend that was not limited only to the metro cities. Popular titles such as Sacred Games (Netflix in 2019) and Mirzapur (Amazon Prime Videos in 2020) came out with a second season, reports surfaced of upcoming seasons for some of the other titles that made waves last year.

We at TechRadar thought it would be a best time to sneak a peak into some of the titles that are getting ready as we speak and could hit the screens in 2021. Of course, we are limiting our research only to web series and will possibly follow it up with one more where we will discuss movie titles slated for launch this year.

Don't know about the timer here, but we're exploding with excitement 💥@BajpayeeManoj @sharibhashmi @Samanthaprabhu2 @shreya_dhan13 @SharadK7 @SrikantTFM #Priyamani #TheFamilyManOnPrime pic.twitter.com/LQYJTyxWl2December 29, 2020

On top of this list is Family Man Season 2, with Amazon Prime Video sharing a teaser claiming that they were "exploding with excitement" over the web series that takes a look at the life of a secret service agent.

Directors: Raj Nidimoru & Krishna D.K.

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Priyamani, Gul Panag and Shreya Dhanwantry

Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Launch Date: February 2021

Synopsis: The first season, released in July 2019, captured our imagination as we tracked the life of special agent Srikant Tiwari (Manoj Bajpayee), whose work life is not even known to his family, comprising his academician wife (Priyamani) and two kids. The story tracked a potential nuclear attack on Delhi with the first season ending on a razor's edge. The second season was delayed due to the lockdown as shootings got cancelled. Interest in the sequel got heightened as the cast was joined by another southern superstar Samantha Akkinenni.

Maybe it is just our expectations from the crew or could be the fact that Saif Ali Khan is the biggest Bollywood star to feature in web series (Sacred Games), but there is no denying that Tandav is amongst the most eagerly sought title on OTT in 2021.

Directors: Ali Abbas Zafar

Cast: Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub.

Platform: Amazon Prime Video

Launch Date: January 2021

Synopsis: Not much is known about the plot as the production company has kept a thick veil of secrecy even in the teaser. What we do know is that it is a political thriller with a large cast that also includes Dino Morea, Sunil Grover, Gauhar Khan, Sarah Jane Dias and Sandhya Mridul among others. All that we get to hear in the teaser is "हिंदुस्तान को सिर्फ एक ही चीज़ चलती है - राजनीति। इस देश में जो प्रधान मंत्री है वो ही राजा है"

bombay begums on netflix — (Image credit: Netflix)

While we patiently wait for the third season of Netflix's top title Sacred Games, here is another that is garnering interest due to its director's past work. The series is titled "Bombay Begums" and it is already garnering interest around its posters.

Directors: Alankrita Shrivastava, Bornila Chatterjee

Cast: Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash.

Platform: Netflix

Launch Date: Not announced

Synopsis: The series tells the stories of five women from different generations as they struggle with societal ethics, their own ambitions and personal crises. Set in the modern contemporary urban India, the stories specifically define how Indian cinema was always about men with women only essaying supporting roles. This series seeks to overturn the narrative by having no men's tales synced to the women.

The obvious talking point of this series slated to release on Zee5 is Amit Sadh, whose power-packed performance as a Special Forces officer in Sony's "Avrodh" caught our collective fancy last year.

Directors: Vishal Mangalorkar

Cast: Amit Sadh, Amrita Puri and Sushant Singh

Platform: Zee5

Launch Date: mid-January

Synopsis: Available information suggests that Amit Sadh once again plays a Special Forces officer in this series that is based on the real-life experience of one. The makers suggest that it is based on the life of Kargil hero Major Deepender Singh Sengar, who not only fights the enemy outside but also doubt within to emerge victorious in his pursuits.

We are making a small exception here and including "Black Widows" on Zee5, which was released on December 18. This is the eighth adaptation of the famous Finnish series with the same title which was first released in 2016 and ran for two seasons.

Director: Birsa Dasgupta

Cast: Mona Singh, Shamita Shetty, Swastika Mukherjee, Sharad Kelkar, Raima Sen, Parambrata Chattopadhyaya

Platform: Zee5

Launch Date: Released on December 18, 2020

Synopsis: As with the original, this web series too tells the tale of story of three women who are facing marital discord and decide to end their sufferings. They fake mourn the deaths of their husbands while sharing a common secret. Into this milieu comes a cop who is keen on tracking their past lives to see what's actually wrong with their present existence.

And a few more...

Of course, these are our choices made on the star cast and the directors who are at the helm. There are several others lined up for release in the early part of 2021 and some of these include:

Paurashpur featuring Milind Soman
Nail Polish featuring Arjun Rampal and Manav Gohil
Mumbai Diaries featuring Konkana Sen Sharma
Apharan Second Season
Asur Second Season
The Gone Game Second Season

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PlayStation 5 price in India, release date, pre-orders and availability

Sony’s long-awaited next-gen console, the PlayStation 5 has finally been unveiled. We now know almost everything about it: its specs, which games will it support, VR capabilities and how it stacks up to the new Xbox Series X on paper. The last piece of the puzzle was when it will land in India.

The new console was showcased a few weeks ago, after which retailers started confirming if they will be pre-order partners. Most western countries will get it on November 12 followed by many more on November 19 in the second wave. Oddly, Sony India had been silent on the matter, leaving fans disgruntled.

If you’re looking to get a PS5 in India, here are all the details currently available around its pricing, timelines and if it is worth getting over the corresponding Xbox.

Cut to the chase

What is it? The next-gen PlayStation console.
When will it release? February 2, 2021
What will the PS5 cost? Starting at Rs 39,990

PS5 launch date and price in India

Official Indian pricing of the PlayStation 5
PS5	Rs 49,990
PS5 Digital Edition	Rs 39,990
DualSense Controller	Rs 5,990

Check out the PlayStation 5 on Amazon.in

Rs 49,990 | Digital Edition: Rs 39,990View Deal

The PS5 will be available in India starting February 2. Pre-orders will begin on January 12 at 12 pm, at Amazon, Flipkart, Croma, Reliance Digital, Games The Shop, Vijay Sales, Sony and other retailers.

As for pricing, the PS5 will retail for Rs 49,990 while the Digital Edition will be available at Rs 39,990. All the accessories and games will also be available in India at launch.

In comparison, the Xbox Series X is priced at Rs 49,990 and the Series S is priced at Rs 34,990. It is already available for pre-ordering on Amazon, Reliance Digital and other retailers.

Specs and features

The new PlayStation 5 will be powered by an octa-core AMD Zen 2-based CPU clocked at up to 3.5GHz. Similarly, a custom AMD RDNA 2 will take care of the graphics, capable of 10.28 TFLOPs of throughout. We’re looking at 16GB of GDDR6 memory. As for storage, Sony has opted for a custom 825GB SSD solution. Third-party drives can also be added, but they will need to have a speed of at least 5.5GBps for optimal results. A 4K UHD Blu-ray drive will also be present on the standard variant. 8K and 120fps gaming will also be supported.

The cheaper PS5 Digital Edition will be slightly slimmer and cheaper. Players will have to rely on digital downloads for their games. In case you planning on using your existing PS4 titles or exchanging games with friends, you should opt for the standard edition.

The new gamepad is called the PS5 DualSense controller and brings a fresh design with a black and white aesthetic. The L2 and R2 shoulder buttons also have adaptive haptic feedback. A microphone will also be built in to allow gamers to communicate without the need of a headset. We might also see new PSVR motion controllers later.

As for games, some of the big names include Horizon Forbidden West, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Soul, Resident Evil 8: Village, along with a new Ratchet and Clank game, a new Oddworld title, and a new Gran Turismo title. Most recently, Final Fantasy XVI (a console exclusive to PlayStation), Hogwarts Legacy (a Harry Potter RPG), Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition, Five Nights at Freddy's, and God of War: Ragnarok (coming in 2021) have all been confirmed for PS5.

2021 is already off to a great start #PlayStation5 https://t.co/xVOfzhFmPPJanuary 1, 2021

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iQoo 7 Alleged Geekbench Listing Suggests 12GB RAM Variant in Tow

https://ift.tt/2TJZAP1 7 smarpthone, with model number V2049A, has allegedly been spotted on Geekbench website. The listing shows that the phone could sport 12GB of RAM. iQoo has already announced that the iQoo 7 BMW Edition will come with an enhanced version of LPDDR5 RAM, Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 SoC, and an enhanced version of UFS 3.1 storage.

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Sony PlayStation 5 India launch set for February 2; Pre-orders open on January 12

The PlayStation 5 launch date in India is finally out after a tedious wait. Sony is set to launch it’s newest console in the country on February 2 with pre-bookings going live at 12 PM on January 12.

This comes in a statement directly from Sony India which confirmed that the PS5 consoles will be available on Amazon, Flipkart, Croma, Reliance Digital, Games The Shop, Shop at Sony Center, Vijay Sales and other authorized retailers. The company says that pre-orders will be available until stocks last at these retailers.

This announcement comes after dramatic events that saw the PlayStation fanbase in India hound Sony India for information on the launch of the PS5. But Sony India has been sporadic and non-responsive at best to all queries up until now.

Buy PS5 in India

Rs 49,990 | Rs 39,990 (Digital Edition)View Deal

Road to the PS5 India launch announcement

PS5 | PlayStation 5 box — (Image credit: Future)

When the Sony PS5 was announced for release on November 19 globally, it was expected that India release would be in line. But it turned out that it was far from so. The Sony India website, controlled by the EMEA team that is based out of Europe, had updated the website on November 19 being the launch date three times. Only that it was even quicker to remove the listings as Sony India stated that there was no concrete date on when the launch will take place.

Initially, it was assumed that a trademark-related issue that sprung up in India could have been the cause for the delay. The issue came to fore when a resident of Delhi, Hitesh Aswani had filed for a trademark on the PS5 name, back on October 29. On its part, Sony had filed the trademark on February 6 this year.

However, Sony India managed to close the case after Aswani reportedly withdrew his application for the PS5 trademark after Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc opposed it.

The next issue came to fore when pre-orders of PS5 units were announced by some retailers. However, the company immediately advised against these though some new rumours have taken flight on the web claiming that now the console would be available in January 2021.

Once again, these rumours have been addressed by Sony India, using words that were monotonously similar to the earlier instances.

To a query by The Mako Reactor, the company said, "Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) has not yet announced a launch date for PS5 in India,” a Sony spokesperson confirmed to us over email. “We will share an update on launch date for India as soon as more information becomes available; meanwhile please continue to monitor the official PlayStation channels."

Apparently, some retailers sourced informal information from its sources that had indicated a January 2021 launch of the console. Which now seems to have been close to the mark.

Sony PlayStation 5: India price

The Sony PlayStation 5 will be priced at Rs 49,990 for the disc variant while the Digital Edition has been priced at Rs 39,990. Sony will be launching different accessories with the PS5, primary among which is the new DualSense Controller that has been priced at Rs 5,990.

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New Year 2021: Our Gadgets Wishlist, From iPhone 12 to PlayStation 5

https://ift.tt/2iVP4oo 12 mini, iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple Watch SE, PlayStation 5, MacBook Air M1, iMac, Apple One, Nvidia GeForce 2060, Intel Core i7-10700K, Ikea office chair — the gadgets Gadgets 360 staff is hoping to buy for themselves in 2021.

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OnePlus Band price in India, launch date and features

The upcoming OnePlus Watch was supposed to mark the company’s entry into the wearable segment. A new development suggests that we will see a budget fitness tracker launch before the smartwatch, in the form of the OnePlus Band.

In 2020, OnePlus expanded to many new product categories such as mid-range smartphones, affordable smart TVs, true wireless earphones and more. Reports from Android Central state that the connected device ecosystem will continue to grow in 2021. Budget fitness trackers have seen a lot of interest in recent months, and it looks like OnePlus wants a piece of the pie.

Some other OnePlus Band specs and features were leaked by Mukul Sharma in a video, which once again suggests that OnePlus is going after the segment that the Xiaomi Mi Band series pioneered in India. It remains to be seen if it will be a region-exclusive product or not.

Cut to the chase

What is it? OnePlus’s first fitness tracker
When is it out? Early 2021
How much will it cost? Likely under Rs 3,000/$40

OnePlus Band price in India

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 — (Image credit: Aakash Jhaveri)

According to the source, the OnePlus Band will be available only in India at launch, but could be available in other countries later. This is similar to the strategy it adopted for its affordable TVs and TWS as well, so it isn’t particularly surprising.

With a suggested price of around $40, it is likely to cost under Rs 3,000 in India. For context, the Mi Band 5 is priced at Rs 2,499. Other notable competitors include the Redmi Smart Band, the Realme Band as well as some offerings from Honor and Samsung. OnePlus must be betting on the segment to explode in 2021.

OnePlus Band launch date

Based on the multiple reports, we know that OnePlus has quite a few product launches lined up for the first quarter of 2021, with the flagship OnePlus 9 series, an upgraded OnePlus Nord and most interestingly, the OnePlus smartwatch that will run full-fledged Wear OS. However, all of these are slated for a March unveiling.

The OnePlus Band, on the other hand, looks more likely to have its separate smaller event much earlier. Perhaps we will hear more about it at CES 2021, which is scheduled to kick off on January 11 in an online format.

Specs and features

Information is a little scarce around this point, but just like other affordable fitness trackers, the OnePlus Band is tipped to sport a small rectangular AMOLED touchscreen, proper water resistance with IP rating and multiple days of battery life.

The design is likely to be pretty minimalistic with a user-replaceable strap without being too bulky. Along with the heart-rate sensor, there are also rumours of the OnePlus Band sporting an SpO2 sensor for measuring blood oxygen saturation levels, making it one of the cheapest wearables to do so.

As for features, there should be quite a few fitness tracking modes, along with the usual slew of notification mirroring, call alerts and music playback control. A companion app will help in the initial setup process and also act as a hub for all the tracked data. Like its other IoT products, we could also see some Oxygen OS-specific features on the wearable.

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T-Mobile data breach sees phone numbers and call records leaked online

T-Mobile has revealed that it suffered a data breach in which customers' proprietary network information (CPNI), including their phone numbers and call records, was exposed online.

Earlier this week, the US telecom began informing its customers via text message that a security incident had occurred that may have impacted some of their account information.

However, T-Mobile provided further details in a notice of security incident on its website and explained that its security team recently discovered “malicious, unauthorized access” to its systems.

We've put together a list of the best ransomware protection software
Keep your devices virus free with the best malware removal software
Also check out our roundup of the best patch management software

Following this discovery, an investigation was launched with assistance from leading cybersecurity forensic experts to determine what happened and exactly what customer information was exposed.

Customer proprietary network information

According to T-Mobile, the CPNI accessed by hackers may have included customers' phone numbers, the number of lines on their accounts and in some cases, call-related information.

Thankfully though, the data accessed did not include customers' names, addresses, email addresses, financial data, credit card information, social security numbers, tax IDs, passwords or PINs.

Affected customers have already received text messages from T-Mobile informing them of the situation but they should remain on the lookout for any suspicious texts claiming to be from the company or messages containing links to third-party websites as cybercriminals often use the news of a data breach or security incident to launch phishing attacks to try and steal user credentials.

Although T-Mobile has suffered another data breach, this attack appears to be less severe than the one that occurred in March in which hackers were able to gain access to both customer and employee data.

We've also highlighted the best antivirus software

Via BleepingComputer

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Here's why Wonder Woman 1984 is disappointing

Warning: Spoilers for Wonder Woman 1984 follow.

Wonder Woman 1984 has arrived at the end of a weird year for cinema. If you saw a blockbuster on the big screen after March 2020, you're pretty much in the minority; the pandemic hit the industry incredibly hard, from the way movies are made to how they're seen. But after a messy 12 months, having an all-new DC Comics adaptation drop on HBO Max in the US and hit the big screen elsewhere should've marked a pleasant end to 2020.

It doesn't feel like the release has been a slam dunk, though. A few outlets have covered what's perceived to be a negative or at least mixed fan reaction to the film – something I find impossible to measure when the angriest voices are always amplified around big pop culture moments. I agree with the overall sentiment that the film is disappointing, though. But I think this is only partly the movie's fault – timing is a factor here, too.

Wonder Woman 1984 sees Diana (Gal Gadot) living an undercover life decades after the end of World War I. She still grieves for Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), but has a nice career working as an anthropologist, and beats up criminal jerks in her spare time. She befriends Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig), a nice but insecure colleague who wants to be more like Diana. Soon, the two happen across a mythical, self-explanatory object called the Dreamstone – which gives Barbara a newly found desirable status (largely by changing her outfit and removing her glasses) and super strength, though clearly at some kind of moral cost.

Diana's unconscious wish, meanwhile, is that Steve Trevor comes back from the dead – and it works, though he occupies a different body now. The Dreamstone also attracts the attention of TV personality and struggling oil baron Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), who has his own world-altering plans for the artefact.

Compared to the original Wonder Woman – an imperfect film that ably took Diana out of the sheltered life of Themyscira in order to intervene in The Great War – this is a surprisingly throwaway follow-up. It has one thing to say: be careful what you wish for. And it makes this point over and again, in such obvious ways, that it feels weirdly naïve and outdated, and perhaps targets the film at a younger audience than the original.

The problem is, the film is not fun enough overall to make up for this. Wonder Woman 1984 is a painful 151 minutes long – and it really feels it, despite a few neat set pieces breaking all of that up. The last hour of this film is hard work. Despite committed performances from Pedro Pascal and Kristen Wiig – as Maxwell Lord and Cheetah, respectively – the movie's two villains are frustrating for different reasons.

Even the movie's best part – Steve being a fish out of water in the '80s, and reuniting with Diana – doesn't get to be fun for more than a few minutes of this very long runtime.

Here, I'll dig in to why I found Wonder Woman 1984 to be disappointing, even if I did like parts of the movie.

wonder woman 1984 cast — (Image credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment)

A film made for a different time?

I found Wonder Woman 1984's overall message – of being careful what you wish for and trusting in people to ultimately do the right thing – to be particularly jarring this year. It's simplistic in a way that goes against the current of the times we live in, with
a brainless optimism that feels jarring.

I found Diana's vague superhero ideology of hopefulness kind of frustrating here, too, and I wonder if the filmmakers truly have an idea of what sets her apart from, say, Superman, other than the fact she's Amazonian.

Still, I can't help feeling like Wonder Woman 1984's tone would've seemed less annoying in a normal year where it would be sandwiched between many other blockbusters. This wouldn't make it a good superhero movie, but being the only game in town right now puts an extra burden on it to impress – particularly when it's being used to prop up a confusingly branded (but pretty good) US streaming service.

Again, I don't think I'd have cared about Wonder Woman 1984 feeling outdated or simplistic in normal times, but coming in below expectations seems like a bigger deal when every other blockbuster movie is currently on ice.

This film also has a bit of a setting problem. The '80s backdrop offers some fun color in terms of fashion and cultural reference points for the first hour, but the rest of the movie does little with it, save for using the Cold War as the basis of some third act nuclear war drama.

There's no set piece that comes close to the power of the No Man's Land scene in the 2017 original, either, though that was always going to be hard to top. Steve and Diana flying through 4th of July fireworks is a genuinely nice and romantic moment, though.

Why is this film so long?

Unless your superhero movie is a character-stuffed team-up picture like Avengers: Endgame – which I still think is a bit too lengthy – please don't make it more than two hours long. I reached the 90-minute mark in this film and I really wanted it to be over.

I have no idea why Wonder Woman 1984 needed to be 151 minutes in length, and it's interesting to read that Warner Bros wanted director Patty Jenkins to cut one of the movie's two intro set pieces – one an overly long Amazonian Olympics sequence, the other a nicely-executed mall fight that gives us our first glimpse of Diana as a vigilante in 1984.

Both do set up story and character threads that are to pay off later, but the Olympics sequence was way too protracted, not very interesting to watch, and felt like it mainly existed to remind us of the cool Amazonian characters we met in the first film – Antiope (Robin Wright) and Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen).

Still, the first hour of this film isn't so bad. Still, as mentioned, once Chris Pine's Steve Trevor is back in the frame, you don't quite get enough of his and Diana's status quo in this new world – the idea that Diana is physically weakened by Steve's resurrection is an interesting notion, though, and it definitely lands when the two inevitably have to say goodbye to each other later on.

The villains chew up too much of the running time for me. I didn't quite get what the filmmakers were going for with Maxwell Lord – a classic '80s excess guy who's all style and no substance, I guess, with a kind of vague layer of Trump. But I found Lord's scenes very hard to watch, despite appreciating how much Pascal throws himself into it. There's nothing sympathetic about him other than the fact he has a son, and he spends a bunch of the film sweating in front of powerful men, vowing to make their dreams come true. He's just not very entertaining to watch, and the movie's twist that he becomes the Dreamstone after wishing for it is conceptually confusing.

I almost wish they recreated this fairly famous and controversial comic book moment, where Diana snapped Lord's neck. It was extremely contentious, but more dramatically satisfying than anything that happens in this film:

In the comics, the conflict between Wonder Woman and Maxwell Lord ends with her snapping his neck. (I wholeheartedly support this, fight me.)So, here's my question: Do you think Diana will snap his neck in WW84? pic.twitter.com/OMUFJSL2qSSeptember 5, 2020

Again, the movie would rather have us believe in the power of people making sensible decisions and being good at their core – this did nothing for me. When we met Diana in Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, she was slicing bits off of the apocalyptic mutant Doomsday. Here, she's a much more passive figure, and I think the film is a bit too afraid to let her get her hands dirty. I wonder if this is an overreaction to the criticism that these superhero films were getting a bit too dark.

Likewise, the movie waits a long, long time for Kristen Wiig's Cheetah to actually become a full-blown villain – and parts of their final encounter were already spoiled by the trailers. Barbara's obsession with protecting how she looks and how she's perceived is ultimately why she turns on Diana, but it surfaces too late into the film to have any emotional impact.

Like many other people, too, I'm over superhero movies doing this with their villains:

This is the weirdest, most specific comic book movie trope.#WW84 pic.twitter.com/CTLhZc67SADecember 27, 2020

Who is Diana, actually?

Other than pining for Steve Trevor and having a career as an anthropologist, you don't get much of a sense of Diana having an inner life in this film. He's been dead for almost 70 years, and sure, her heart was broken, but that's a hell of a long time for a mythical superhero to accumulate some real-life experiences in the human world. It just feels like no time has passed between the two movies.

They could've done a little better by her – and, by extension, the other characters in the film. Diana's initial, supportive friendship with Barbara Minerva is actually pretty nice in terms of character development, and not something I feel like I see in these kinds of films so much, but after Steve returns from the dead, the film doesn't draw that much attention to their relationship. This meant I didn't really care when Barbara became Cheetah and inevitably fought with Diana much deeper into the film. I had no investment in it.

I'm wary of not holding Wonder Woman to a higher standard than some of the more throwaway Marvel movies, which also aren't always that preoccupied with characterization or even having a meaningful theme (hey, Ant-Man and the Wasp!).

I think my disappointment here stems from how confident that first Wonder Woman film was, in how it treated Diana as a morally switched-on outsider in a war-stricken human world. In Wonder Woman 1984, they don't find a way to make the character resonate in the modern age. What is her whole deal? Does she just save kids in malls now?

Again, the vague optimism running through the heart of this movie just didn't do much for me – though it's still, by default, one of the better films of the DC Extended Universe so far.

Wonder Woman 1984 is streaming now on HBO Max in the US, and has been released theatrically everywhere else.

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UK drone laws: where can and can't you fly your drone?

Keeping up with the latest UK drone laws can be tricky – and with some new law changes coming into effect from 31 December 2020, it's essential to understand what they are and how they will affect your drone flying.

This is because, unlike your regular camera, you can’t just unbox your new drone, charge it up and take it out for its first flight. Drones are a great way to enhance your photography and videography skills, but there are a number of important tasks you need to perform to ensure you're abiding by the latest UK drone laws.

So what are the new laws? Fortunately, for the average amateur drone pilot, little will change immediately. The exception will be for owners of smaller drones like the DJI Mavic Mini and DJI Mini 2.

Previously, these drones didn't need to be registered due to their sub-250g weight, but this requirement has now been extended to all drones with a camera. This means owners of those drones, or any with a camera, will need to register their drone with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and get an Operator ID.

For a more in-depth look at the new EU-wide laws and categories, you can jump to the 'new categories' section using the menu on the left. But first, we're going to look at the basics of what you now need to get before you can legally take off, followed by where you can fly your drone legally and safely in the UK.

These are the best drones you can buy right now

UK drone laws: what you need before flying

All drones with a camera need an Operator ID, which costs £9 per year
Most drone owners also need a Flyer ID, which involves an online test
Pass the online test and your Flyer ID is valid for five years

Nearly all drone owners in the UK will need two IDs before flying outdoors: the Flyer ID (which involves passing a short online test) and an Operator ID (which means registering your drone at a cost of £9 per year).

There are two exceptions. Toy drones that weigh under 250g and do not have a camera will not need either ID. Also, drones that weigh below 250g and have a camera – for example, the DJI Mavic Mini and DJI Mini 2 – need an Operator ID, but do not require a Flyer ID. That said, we'd recommend taking the online test anyway.

In short, you'll likely need both IDs before your drone can take off outdoors. Luckily, the process is pretty quick and easy. Just head to the CAA's 'Register and take the test to fly' page, which will sort you out with both IDs in one place.

Of course, it makes sense to revise a bit for the multiple-choice quiz, but everything you'll need to know will be in the Drone Code. The test now consists of 40 questions (taking around 30 minutes) and to pass you need a score of 30. You can also take the test as many times as you need.

To register a drone and get an Operator ID, you need to be 18 or over. Assuming that's the case, you'll simply need an email address and debit or credit card for the annual fee. All done? Now it's time to brush up on where and how you can fly your drone legally in the UK.

UK drone laws: the flying basics

Keep your drone in direct line of sight
Don't fly higher than 120m above ground
Avoid flying closer than 50m to people, buildings and cars
Don't fly closer than 150m to buildings and crowds of people
All drones with a camera need an Operator ID, regardless of weight

The most important basic information to familiarize yourself with is the Drone Code, which clearly outlines what you should and should not do when flying a drone – and also what you need before you take off. In a nutshell, follow this simple guide at all times and you’ll have no problems.

When flying, your drone must always remain in unaided visual line of sight and fly no more than an altitude of 400ft (120m) and a distance of 500m (1640ft). With most drones, you can set these parameters to stop you from exceeding them.

When flying you should never fly closer than 50m (150ft) to people or properties. It’s also recommended that you don’t fly over people. While there is an exception to this for drones that weigh under 250g (like the DJI Mini 2), you should never fly where people have gathered in crowds or groups.

For crowds of people and built-up areas, you should never fly closer than 150m (500ft), which means you can’t legally fly over them.

For airports, things are a little different for obvious reasons. Around all aerodromes and airports, there’s an exclusion zone (restricted airspace) of 2-2.5 nautical miles, with a 5km long and 1km wide exclusion at both ends of each runway.

Restricted airspace means that you cannot fly in these places unless you've got permission from the relevant authority. These include around airports, critical infrastructure and military installations. Take all of this into account, though, and you'll be fine.

These are the best DJI drones you can buy right now

UK drone laws: police powers

Police forces across the country have received new powers to land, inspect and seize drones thanks to new legislation – the Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft Bill. They also have new stop and search powers around airports, prisons and other restricted locations.

Drone pilots could face on the spot fines of up to £1,000 for offences such as not having or displaying a flyer ID on drones weighing over 249g, not being able to provide proof of permissions and exemptions and, of course, for flying dangerously and/or in restricted locations.

UK drone laws: the new categories

The new UK drone laws, which come into effect from 31 December 2020, are EU-wide and the aim is to simplify things by providing one set of rules and regulations across all member states.

Even though the UK will be leaving its EU transition period on 31 December, the UK signed up to implement all laws passed up until this point.

Under the new rules, there will be no differentiation between 'leisure' and 'commercial' drone flights. Instead, three new categories will take into account to the drone you have and where you intend to fly it – this will ultimately make it possible for amateur drone pilots without a qualification to make money from their aerial stills and video.

These categories – called Open, Specific and Certified – have different requirements in terms of training and also the types of drones you can use. Recreational flying will be covered by the 'Open' category, which is the first one we've covered below.

The rules we’re covering here relate to the UK and EU, but if you’re a resident of the United States or Australia, you can find more information about the drone rules and regulations relevant to you using the links below.

Open Category

The Open Category is for what are considered low-risk flights and will apply to the type of consumer drones the majority of amateur drone pilots use. The category is split into three subsections based on the weight of the drone and the distance it can be flown from people. The subcategories are A1, A2 and A3.

In the A1 category, drones weighing up to 250g can be flown over people but not crowds, as long as the aircraft is 50m away from people. For drones weighing between 250g and 900g, there can be no flight above people unless you hold one of the drone qualifications such as a PfCO, A2CofC or CVC. For current PfCO holders, when they renew their permissions after 31 December the qualification will become an Operational Authorisation.

In the A2 category, lighter weight drones will be able to be flown as close as 30m horizontally from people uninvolved in the drone flight, or as little as 5m when flown in a low-speed mode if you have a qualification.

The A3 category relates to large professional drones weighing up to 25kg and wouldn’t be relevant to people flying consumer drones. This category requires a separation distance from people and buildings of 150m.

Specific Category

The Specific Category covers drone flights that pose a greater risk than the Open Category and requires a level of planning, like all current commercial operations. The CAA will publish a set of pre-defined scenarios and risk assessments.

Certified Category

The Certified Category relates to complex operations such as those where parcels or even people are carried by the drone. This category is highly specialist and won't be relevant to the vast majority of drone pilots.

New drone classifications

In line with the new flight categories, drones themselves will be classified according to their weight, maximum speed and safety features that minimise the risk of injury to people rather than the current weight-based regime.

The category that will relate to most people is the C2 drone. This will have a maximum take-off mass of less than 4kg, features a low-speed mode with a maximum speed of 6.7mph, has features that minimise injury to people, and has geo-awareness systems among others.

There’s a transition period until 31 December 2022 where legacy drones, which are those available now, depending on weight, can be flown in certain categories.

During the transition period, drones weighing up to 500g can be flown in the A1 transition subcategory with no intentional flight over people. But to fly a new C2 category drone, or a legacy drone weighing up to 2kg in this subcategory, you’ll need a CofC qualification.

When the transition period ends, legacy drones can be flown in the A3 category 150m away from people and buildings, so these drones will become much more limited in their use over time.

UK drone laws: useful tools and apps

All new DJI drones over 250g include AirSense technology
This system will help alert you to any aircraft within miles of your drone
NATS Drone Assist and UAV Forecast are also helpful apps for drone pilots

Flying drones isn’t rocket science, and in many cases having an up-to-date knowledge of the Drone Code and a dose of good old fashioned common sense will keep you, your drone and everyone safe.

But there are now few handy tools to help keep you and everyone safe. For example, DJI has introduced a new alert system into consumer drones called DJI AirSense.

This system uses ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) technology, which is used in aeroplanes and helicopters, to provide drone pilots with location data from nearby aircraft fitted with ADS-B transmitters. This flight data is provided through DJI flight apps to alert drone pilots of potential risks to allow them to respond accordingly.

There are also a number of third-party apps that make safe flight planning quick and easy. Here are two apps that are essential for everyone, whether you're flying a drone for fun or commercially. And best of all, they’re both free.

These are the best DJI drones you can buy right now

UK drone laws: the apps to download

NATS Drone Assist

NATS Drone Assist is an essential app because it allows you to locate your current position using GPS, or to search for a planned location in advance. It shows restricted airspace, NOTAMs (notices to airmen) which are temporary warnings, and rules governing airspace, as well as ground hazards and much more. Basically, this app tells you whether or not you can fly your drone safely and legally.

Download NATS Drone Assist for Android

Download NATS Drone Assist for iOS

UAV Forecast

UAV Forecast is a weather app aimed directly at drone pilots and gives you a range of weather and other relevant information to help you decide whether it’s safe to fly. Observation of weather conditions on location remains essential, but this allows you to get a good idea of whether or not it’s safe to fly in advance.

Download UAV Forecast for Android

Download UAV Forecast for iOS

US and Australian drone laws

These drone law guidelines are only applicable to the UK. If you live in the US or Australia, then follow the links below to learn more about the drone laws that are relevant to you:

US drone laws

Australian drone laws

These are the best drones in the world right now

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Series Teaser Video Recalls Evolution of Lineup, Launch Details Surface

https://ift.tt/154AwVo Galaxy S21 series teaser video has been released to set the stage for the new launch. The video recalls the evolution of the Galaxy S-series lineup. Separately, a tipster has reiterated that the new Galaxy phones would debut with no charger and earbuds in the box.

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Redmi Could Launch the Cheapest Snapdragon 888-Powered Smartphone; Alleged Redmi K40 Live Images Surface

https://ift.tt/2ugZxyk phone with Snapdragon 888 SoC could be the cheapest offering when it comes to phones powered by the latest Qualcomm mobile chipset. There is no release date or pricing associated with this phone and the company has not shared any official information on it.

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Year in review: The biggest tech news of 2020 - Indian perspective

The year 2020 certainly felt like the longest year ever. In between the 12 months which took forever to come to an end there were many ups and downs across the globe due to Covid-19 pandemic and it changed the lifestyle and rewrote some of the rules. Most importantly, the world became more dependent on technology than ever.

In the world of technology, there was big news across smartphones, software, gaming, EVs, and more. In this article, we have curated the list of top tech news that amazed us in 2020. It includes Apple’s new M1 chipset to Tesla finally announcing its arrival in India. So, here is the top tech news of the year 2020.

Apple started the transition to its own chipsets

After years of rumour, Apple finally unveiled its own ARM-based chipset for its laptops. The latest Apple MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are now powered by Apple M1 chipset. The M1 M1-based MacBook devices were revolutionary and exciting devices in 2020. The M1 chip is very commendable and performed remarkably well on both the new laptops. The fact that MacBooks can now run thousands of iOS apps and games pretty much flawlessly is a huge win as well.

Apple also made a sweet tool called Rosetta 2 which allows all the usual macOS apps run as smooth as Intel-based MacBooks. The CPU is an 8-core chip with a big little configuration, with four high-performance cores, and four power-efficient cores. There is also an octa-core GPU in the SoC, which should be more powerful than the Intel Iris graphics found on lower-end MacBooks. Going forward in 2021, we are also expecting the Apple M1 successor to bring significant improvements in terms of performance to the MacBook Pro 16-inch (2021).

India's measures to reduce dependence on China

With China posing a threat to India’s sovereignty and security, In June, the Indian government decided to ban 59 mobile applications in India including some of the popular apps like Tik Tok, Likee, Helo, Cam Scanner, Xender, Parallel Space, ES File Explorer, Mi Video Call, Mi Community, UC Browser and more. The government also said that some of these apps were also stealing and illegally storing user data on servers located outside India. Taking privacy into consideration, the government banned these apps.

Following the first wave of the ban, the second set of apps including PUBG Mobile game were proscribed and taken out of play store in India in September. In the second wave, a total of 118 mobile apps were banned. With the ban implication, Chinese firm Tencent had to bear the brunt with three of its major investments - WeChat, TikTok, and PUBG being in the list.

Apple enters the premium headphones market

apple airpods max case — (Image credit: TechRadar)

Apple’s product lineup has always been priced in the premium segment but, in the audio segment with Apple AirPods, the pricing was similar to the competition like Sony and Sennheiser. With the launch of AirPods Max headphones, Apple took a leap ahead in terms of pricing (Rs 59,900). The AirPods Max are the first over-ear headphones from Apple and they’re one of the most high-spec headphones ever released. The launch happened silently via a press release but made a lot of noise right after the launch.

One of the most discussed topics around the AirPods Max apart fro its ridiculous price tag was the design and the carry case. In our review, we found the case to be ineffective. However, as headphones, the sound and performance were top notch and it offers great noise cancellation. As always, its best for iOS users as features are limited to iOS users.

OnePlus returns to the mid-range smartphone segment

With flagship phones creeping up the price ladder from the past couple of years, OnePlus had to return to its roots and the new Nord series was the OnePlus’s answer. Launched in July, the OnePlus Nord was one of the most popular phones of the year and also the best in the segment. Powerful hardware blended with good software experience was always key to OnePlus’s success and with the OnePlus Nord, the company was able to pull it off with half of the price of what their flagship phones cost.

Later in the year, the brand launched a couple more Nord series devices - N10 and N100. These are even more affordable than the OnePlus Nord however, they are not available in India. Going forward in 2021, OnePlus is expected to launch more affordable phones and also enter the wearable segment with a smartwatch and a fitness tracker.

And lastly, on the same lines, OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei left the company in October and will launch his new audio venture soon.

India loves truly wireless earphones

OnePlus Buds Z — (Image credit: Srivatsa Ramesh)

One of the segments which really exploded in 2020 was the truly wireless earbuds. While this was not necessarily a segment that was new in 2020, the demand for truly wireless earbuds grew tremendously in India as smartphones started to say goodbye to our beloved 3.5mm headphone jack. With an estimated 700% growth over last year, TWS went from cool to have to essential real quick. Of all the TWS in India, the most shipped was, of course, the budget TWS from BoAt which was then followed by Xiaomi, Realme, JBL, and Apple.

Every brand, especially smartphone makers, launched its own TWS in India. This furious competition also brought many nifty features to the budget segment such as gesture controls, hi-res playback, noise cancellation and more. There was also some premium offers from brands like Sennheiser and Sony as well. Overall, the best TWS for 2020 was the one from Sennheiser while the budget Lypertek Levi was our second choice.

Jio raises a load of money

Jio was already huge at the start of 2020 but as the days passed, it grew at a tremendous pace. In the middle of the year, especially Q2 and Q3, Reliance Jio received so much investment from multiple big brands that we had trouble keeping track of it(but we did). Every other day, there used to be a press release saying x company invested x crores in Reliance Jio. In 2020, Reliance Industry became a $200 billion company making it Asia’s 10th largest firm in terms of market cap.

Jio received investment from big giants like Google and Facebook. First FaceBook picked up 9.9% stake with Jio Platforms for a whopping $5.3 billion (Rs 43,574 crore). At AGM 2020, Google signed an agreement to invest $4.5 billion (Rs 33,737 cr) in Jio Platforms for 7.73% stake in the company. In July, Qualcomm invested $97 million 0.15% equity stake and is expected to play a major role in bringing 5G to India. Intel also invested $253.5 million in Jio.

Jio also focused on bringing affordable 4G and 5G devices, Jio Glass(AR), Jio HealthHub, OTT platform(JioTV+), and they even announced Jio Mart across 200 cities.

India could get its first taste of 5G next year

In the year 2020, we saw brands launching 5G enabled devices in India although there was no 5G network available anywhere in the county for consumers. One of the most discussed topics was “when is 5G coming to India?” Well, Jio answered that question. Reliance’s Chairman and Managing Director, Mukesh Ambani said that Jio plans to pioneer 5G revolution in India in the second half of 2021.

The announcement was made at the India Mobile Congress 2020 in November 2020. Back in July, to focus on 5G, Jio has received $97 million(Rs 730 crore) investment from Qualcomm. Qualcomm is the world’s leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind the development, launch and expansion of 5G. Apart from the 5G network, Jio is also said to be working on 5G phones.

With 5G network on the cards for 2021, Jio is all set to revolutionize the 5G space in India just like how they did with 4G a few years ago.

The next-gen gaming consoles from Microsoft and Sony are here… almost

When it comes to gaming consoles, Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s PlayStation are the ones to look out for. These gaming consoles launch once in four or five years. Luckily in 2020, we witnessed the launch of new iterations of the two - Xbox series X & S and also the Play Station 5.

Currently, the X Box series X and series S are available in India while PS 5 might take few more weeks to arrive in India. As for the pricing, the PS5 will retail for Rs 49,990 while the Digital Edition will be available at Rs 39,990. The Xbox series S is priced at Rs 34,990 and the series X is priced at Rs 49,990. Both Xbox and PS5 are powered by AMD chipset and come with a dedicated GPU. The new Xbox series S is the most compact out of all.

Check out our PS5 review | Xbox Series X review | Xbox Series S review

India defies odds to show strong growth in the smartphone market

A bunch of smartphones — (Image credit: Future)

India is one of the top consumers of smartphones globally. Things were slowed down in Q2 due to the lockdown and restrictions. But, once the lockdown was relaxed across the nation, the demand for smartphones grew tremendously and fast forward Q3/Q4 2020, India registered its all-time highest shipment. In September 2020, 23 million smartphones were shipped while in October 21 million smartphones were shipped.

The major factor here is the online sales and offers that e-commerce giants like Amazon and Flipkart hosted. Also, the fact that we had an extended run of festive season sale on both online and offline platforms. Online channels contributed 51% of the market, a 53% YoY growth. Offline channels, especially in smaller towns & cities, also saw a healthy 33% YoY growth. The top 5 smartphone makers remain unchanged with Xiaomi leading and Samsung at second spot followed by Vivo, Realme, and Oppo.

Growth of e-commerce in India

Amazon e-commerce logo

(Image credit: Internet)

The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown also made people stay in their houses which also meant more dependent on online shopping. The e-commerce shopping was not only limited to Amazon and Flipkart in India but also many businesses which were offline only had to adapt to the new age and go digital.

A report from August stated that e-commerce segment saw a 17% rise in order volume. Indian e-commerce space is estimated to grow to a $1.3 trillion market by 2025. The festive season sale on Amazon and Flipkart in Q3 and Q4 of 2020, at least 40% of the sale was driven by them. The e-commerce giants also onboarded local Kirana store to further expand its reach. Jio also entered the space with JioMart serving across 200 cities.

Due to the pandemic, the battle between Amazon, Flipkart, and Reliance’s Jio Mart got intense. While Jio received huge investments from multiple big ventures, Tata industry is in the line to enter the space with BigBasket. Lastly, e-commerce companies also started selling more self-branded products such as Flipkart selling MarQ branded smart TVs, streaming devices and more. There is also MarQ branded smartphone on the cards for 2021.

Tesla Motors confirmed to enter India soon

Tesla Roadster — (Image credit: Tesla Motors)

In the last week of 2020, Tesla confirmed to commence sales in India in 2021. Union Minister, Nitin Gadkari has confirmed that Tesla will start operations in India in early 2021. In case you have forgotten, Tesla has opened Tesla Model 3 pre-orders for India as well back in 2016. . The order configurator for India is also yet to go live, so this could just be that for those who already pre-ordered.

The arrival of Tesla will also kickstart the electric vehicles revolution in India which is, for now, that popular for 4 wheelers in India. A report in September also stated that Tesla is in talks to set up a research facility in India which could possibly be at Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka. Elon Musk himself confirmed on Twitter that Tesla is coming to India, “Next year for sure.”

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